Camorr - News and Views from Scott Lynch's Locke Lamora books

I received the magazine today - courtesy of David J. Williams, author of the Autumn Rain Trilogy ( http://www.autumnrain2110.com/ ). Many thanks go to him for graciously sending me a copy of the Spectra Pulse magazine, especially with his busy schedule since the last installment of his trilogy was just released a couple of weeks ago!

I've scanned the 4-page excerpt and a link should follow promptly (thanks, Sabetha).

SPOILERS - DO NOT READ WHAT FOLLOWS IF YOU WANT TO READ THE EXCERPT FIRST.
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I imagine this is from the very beginning of the book. We know the prologue deals with young Locke and his meeting with Sabetha. I think this basically follows the prologue. I don't really think we need to know what happened on the boat (it may be told later during flashbacks - if it is at all interesting)). Locke and Jean must have sailed peacefully- despite the terrible fate that awaits Locke- to Lashain, where they may have acquired some kind of lesser nobility title (just as Jean had talked about doing in RSuRS). Their trip must have been marred by Locke's worsening condition (due to Stragos' poison). Riddled with guilt and desperate to save his best (and last) friend, Jean desperately tries to save Locke.

It is really heartbreaking to see Jean -very "mother hen"like-struggling with this while Locke seems to be in peace with his fate.

Of course, I imagine that in the most dramatic moment-everything is lost and Locke is on his death bed-the Bondsmagi will appear to offer them a daunting alternative...

I really can't wait for this book to be released!

Sorry for the delay! I'm afraid you're all going to have to download the excerpt until I can convert the file. But It's still better than nothing for the time being!

http://www.mediafire.com/?gyotzmzijjn

I actually emailed Scott about the excerpt too, and surprisingly he got back to me saying he was more than happy to post it via email, but when I emailed him back saying that was fine, he never actually sent it!

(Big thanks to David Pomerico for sending me a magazine in the post too!)

SPOILERS

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I actually remember Scott saying in an interview that he intentionally left out the part where Locke and Jean are sailing around straight after RSURS. He didn't give his reasons, just said he'd leave it up to the fanfictioners to decide what went on between Locke and Jean (I think this was in answer to a question about what he thinks of all the jean/locke slash that's around). I'm not too bothered though.

Goodness, Locke's symptoms sound awful! Especially the bleeding under the nails bit. Ew. It really must be tearing Jean about watching his state decline so rapidly, and as reader, it's actually quite painful to see the normally energetic thief so tired and shaky. It was also a really interesting look into Lashain and the purchased titles - I like the sound of the city as a setting, though i don't know how long they'll be situated there as I guess they'll be moving to Karthain.

I can't wait for the bondsmagi to turn up! I wonder if they'll heal Locke before or after he's completed his 'task'?

Regarding the whole missing out the sailing part, I'm actully kind of glad he did because I'm not too keen on books that pick up literally the moment the previous left off. I think Scott got the balance right with Lies and RSURS, and he got it right again with RSURS and RoT. (I don't like books that jump years into the future either :-) )

oh yeah, you're right about the illness! Would be kinda inconvenient I guess, heh heh. But they need some kind of blackmail so I reckon they'll partially cure him as they go along (like the antidote in RSURS - a dose every month or whatever) then cure him fully if he succeeds. However, I do think that he would've outright refused to be cured by them if they hadn't mentioned Sabetha (as suggested in the blurb) - as you said, he's going to hate doing this!

That makes me wonder... the opposing bondsmagi to the ones Locke will work for must've employed (or blackmailed or whatever) Sabetha to work with them BEFORE the bondsmagi approached Locke, considering she was used as a bargaining chip to make Locke agree. Was she working for them already, I wonder? If not, that's some serious undercover work they've been doing to know their opposition is going to approach Locke, AND that he will say yes to helping them. I like to think she's working with the bondsmagi already.

I agree with you, Elfy. Unlike most authors, Scott is actually building up the world book by book, rather than throwing it all together in the first volume. I actually prefer this method to an overload of places and political structures. The only crit I have of it is, as you said, I loved Camorr, so I was sad when they left it behind, but I guess it gets revisited in the flashbacks.

Spider, I can't remember hearing Scott say it, but I just kind of accepted it as a given that at some point during the sequence Locke would find himself back where it all started in Camorr. I certainly hope he goes back, because I love the city. Scott creates the others well, but there's something about Camorr that just seems more real.

Spider, I don't remember any interview or such hinting at Locke returning to Camorr, but I would say it's safe to assume that he will, especially because the final book's 'teaser' thing says 'In the end, none of us can outrun our past'. As Elfy said, it kinda seems like a logical conclusion.

Kind of off topic, but I was speculating, do you think in book 5 when it says 'A shadow war against even older enemies', it might mean the Eldren? How cool would that be!? At first I just assumed it meant the bondsmagi, and maybe it does... as I said, only speculating :-)

I remember Scott saying that quite a lot acutally, about the Eldren! I thought he might be playing around with us though! But, I do agree with you. I 'm actually not too fond of the idea of involving the Eldren because I like mysteries (though a bit more information on them couldn't hurt) and because the reason I like Lies and RSURS is because there's not too much magical stuff in them - aside from the bondsmagi, which isn't exactly in-your-face either. Books that rely on the gods and magical powers are just to cliche for me nowadays.

You're an evil person, Spider! I can't believe how much those few lines have me now guessing. The roots of love I assume refers to Locke and Sabetha, but it is highly likely that so does a deep rivalry, there's an interesting duality with Locke and Sabetha, they are in love (well Locke is with her, not sure if it's ever been reciprocated), but they are also rivals.
Maybe a Bondsmage will join forces with Locke and Co, maybe Sabetha has even become one!
Thorn probably refers to Locke as the Thorn of Camorr, but Rose? It suggests someone delicate and I've always got the impression that Sabetha is anything but.

I think that Sabetha is the rose! Rose to me implies beauty and - oh god this is so cliche - she DOES have red hair, which is obviously a rarity in Camorr. I like the idea of the comparison between her Locke, as in, she's the rose and he's the thorn. To me personally, rose doesn't imply delicacy, but something vibrant unlined with an element of hidden danger.

Spider, Scott said something really similar to what you just said! It's here: http://www.scottlynch.us/faq.html#15

But I guess that doesn't really answer your question, hehe. I'm sure it will be explained thoroughly - I just hope it's unique.